Grapple



J. A. MCKAY Feb. 2, 1932.

GRAPPLE Filed May 23, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 gwuentoz tofwwqfa Feb. 2,1932. J. A, MCKAY 1,843,618

GRAPPLE Filed May 23. 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 dumm@ Patented Feb. 2, 1932PB NY, 0F WEST LAFAYETTE, OHIO, A CORPORATION' OF OHIO G1R/APPLEApplication filed May 23,

This invention relates to grapples, and more particularly to a devicefor removing and replacing large reflectors or shades, in overheadelectric light installations, such as are employed in factories or inconnection with out-door advertising signs.

Ordinarily, overhead lamps and reflectors in factories and in electricsign installations are suspended 'fromathe ceiling or from a bracketattached to a sign at such a height as to be out of reach of' a manworking on the floor or ground level. ln order to change or remove thereflector for cleanino' or replace.- ment, it has been necessary toemploy a stepladder which must be set up beneath each lighting fixtureand thus a considerable amount of time is required to remove ork replaceeach reflector. Accordingly,a general object of my invention isto-provide a simple and eective device, by means of which an operatorstanding at the floor or ground level can remove or replaceoverheadreflectors or globes. f

Another object is to provide such a device l which is adapted for useinv connection with reflectors or globes of any ordinary size. Anotherobject is to provide a grapple embodying a gauge, whereby the clampingmembers can be easily set to engage reflectors of a particular size. Afurther object is to provide a reflector removing device embodying alsimple operating mechanism for the clamping jaws in order thatthe'clamping jaws may be operated without wobbling the entire mechanism.

Briefly, the device comprises a pole, on th upper end ofw-hic'h arepivoted a plurality of bell cranks having jaws on the upperarms. Thelower arms of the bell cranks-'are connected by links to a collar whichisslidably mounted onthe pole, and which may be actuated by a nutmounted on a longitudinal screw disposed within the pole and operated bya crank, either directly connected to the screw or connected thereto bymeans of bevelled gears.

The jaws are provided with notches for engaging reflectors of differentsizes, and a gauge 'is provided which may he read by the operatorwhilethe grapple'is in any position, to indicate the width of reflec-` 1931.Serial No. 539,524.

` Fig. 2; Fig. 3 is an elevation of" a grapple having'a modified form ofoperating mecha.- nism, in engagement with a relatively large reflector;Fig. l is a. section along the lines 4-4 of Fig. 3; Fig. 5 isanelevation similark to Fig. 8, but showing the grapple fin-engagementwith a relatively small reflector; and Fig. 6 is a section along` theline 6 -6 of Fig.5.-

Referring now to Figs. l and 2 ofthe drawings, 10 indicates the hollowtubular pole which forms the shank of the grapple andwhicli is longenough to enable a man working at the floor level to easily reachreflectors suspended from the ceiling with the clamping mechanism. A cap1l may 'be threaded or otherwise suitably secured tothe top of the pole.This cap is provided with a plurality of radially extending ears l2, towhich bell cranks 13 are pivoted, as by means of bolts or pins 14. Inorder to provide for a wide range of' sizes or reflectors, the upper'-arms of the bell crank levers, which constitute the reflector engagingjaws, areprovided with a plurality of sets of reflector engagingnotches, as at l5 and 16, two sets being shown in the present instance.Whenit is desiredl be pivoted to the lower arms ofthe bellV crank as at2l. The links are pivoted to` projecting lugs or ears 22, as by pins 23,the ears being secured to a collar 24., which ares PraNr ori-ics l AJOHNA. MCKAY, OF COSHOCTOBL. OHIO, ASSGNOR TO JONES METAL PRODUCTS COM- vtheend of one of the bell crank arms 4G: at

is slidably mounted on the tubular pole or shank l0. The collar movedalong the shank by means of a nut 25, which is actuated by a screw 26and which is connected to the collar by means of bolts 27 extending,lthrough slots 28 in the wall of the tubular pole. will bev seen thatwhen the nut and collar are moved upwardly along the pole, the clampingof the bell crank lever will be moved inwardly to clamp a. reflector andwhen the collar is moved downwardly the clampingjaws will be released.ln order. to rotate the screw 26, we preferably attach a bevel gear 35to the end thereof (see Fig. 2a.) and the end of the pole l0 is providedwith a collar 36, having bearingl portions 37 and 38 therein. rlhebevellef gear 39 is adapted to` mesh with the lgear 35, and is mountedon a shaft 40, one end of which is supported the bearing,- recess 38 ofthe collar and the other end is connected to the hand crank e2, and isjournalled in the bearing portion 3'? of the collar. If desired, thetubularpole may be extended below the coupi ling., as at all, to providea convenient handle for the operator. By reason of the bevel geararranoement described above, the operator. can holld the device steadywhile manipulating. the crank, and the laterally extend.- ing. crankprovides. a convenient handle for obtaining: additional leverage inturning,Y the grapple to` remove a reflector.

I'have also provided a convenient form of gauge for determining the sizeof reflector which may be engaged by the clamping jaws in any particularposition.y The gauge ma;7 comprise a flat strip 50., secured at one endtothe juncture of one of the links 20, with' il as 51. `'lheopposite endof the strip may bc provided with a slotted portion 52, which si ai en'fr' s "i :le i ure ld lly gage the p vo* t the ,i icu of an oppositebell Vcrank and link. Suitable arev provided along;l the slottedportionk of; thestrip, in order to indicate the exact diameter. ofreflector which may be en eagle-d by the arm inany par ifcular position,the top scale indicating the distance between the upper setof` notchesand the lowerv scale indicating the distance between the lower of.:notches. Thus, in the drawing Fig, Sthe-cla-mp shown in enen ement areflector havingl diameter of approximate-- ly` 18in'ches, while in Fig.5 the diameter of fthe reflector is approximately or l0 inc-hes. rlhisfeature is of great convenience when an operator desires to remove. aofv reflectors 'of the same size, as he can set the clamps toapproximately the desired diameter and each reflector will require onlj7few turns or perhaps only a fraction of turn ofthe hand crank to movethe clamping` jaws the required distance to enga and d-isengage thereflechir.

In 3 and 5, a modified form of operM ating,` mechanism is shown, whichsimply comprises a crank l secured to the end of the screw 2G in anyconvenient manner, as by a nut 29. rl"he crank shaft is journalled inthe end of the pole.

The device may be made of any suitable n'iaterial'. However, we havefound that a very practical tool can be formed if all of the parts,except the screw and nut and the various pins, be made of aluminum. ilyconi-itructing the device in this manner, we provide a strong` and lightdevice, which may be easily manipulated even though a long` pole isemployed.

From the foregoinfig description of a preferred form of our invention,it will be seen that l have provided an extremely simple and elllcientdevice for removing reflectors, shades and globes from fixtures. By theuse of our device the operator needv not employ a step ladder and agreat deal of time may be saved. The Vdevice is adapted to, removereflectors of any type, andfurthermore, as a gauge is provided toindicate the distance between the clamping jaws, the operator can adjustthe clamping` jaws to approximately correct position, and when in use itwill be necessary tp' only turn the operating crank reason of thebevelled gear operating arV rangement, shown in the preferred form of mydevice, it is possible for thc operatorl to adjustthe. clamping`jaws'without wabbling the entire device.

I claim: Y

l. ln a device of the character described, the combination of a pole, aplurality of bell cranks pivotally mounted adjacent the upper endsthereof, said bell cranks having. upper and lower arms, the upper armsof Said bell cranks comprisinp clamping jaws, and means for swinging thebell cranks about their respectivev pivots to actuate said clamping`jaws comprising` a collar slidably mounted on said pole, a plurality oflinks pivoted to said collar and to the lower arms of said bell cranks,andmeans for sliding said collar alongsaid pole.

2. ln a device of the character described, the combination of a tubularpole, plural.- ity of bell cranks pivotally mounted adjacent. the upperends thereof, the upper arm of'each of said bell cranks comprisingclamping jaws, and means for swinging said bell lcranks about theirrespective pivots to actuatesaid clamping jaws comprising a collarslidably combination of a plurality of bell cranks havingupper and lowerarms, said upper arms comprising clamping jaws, said bell cranks beingpivotally mounted on a supporting pole, a link pivoted to the lower armsof each of said bell crank levers, a col- ,lar slidably mounted on thepole, each of said links being pivoted to said collar and means formoving said collar along said pole, comprising a screw within the poleand a nut adapted to be actuated by the screw and connected to thecollar.

t. In a refiec-tor engaging grapple, the combination of a plurality ofbell cranks pivoted to a supporting pole, each of said cranks havingupper and lower arms,said upper arms comprising clamping jaws adapted toengage a reflector and each of said upper arms having a plurality ofreflector engaging notches, whereby said arms are adapted to engagerefiectors of a wide range of sizes, and means connected to said lowerarms for swinging said bell cranks about their respective pivots andthereby moving said upper clamping arms toward and away from each other.

5. In a grapple for removing reflectors, the

-, combination of a supporting pole, a plurality of bell crankspivotally mounted at one end of the pole, the upper arms of said bellcranks comprising reflector clamping jaws, mechanism for actuating saidbell cranks carried by said pole and operable from a point adjacent theother end thereof, and a gauge for indicating the distance between theclamping arms, said gauge being positioned at a point intermediate theends of the pole,

:y whereby the distance between the ends of the clamping arm'srmay beeasily determined when the device is used.

6. In a device for removing reflectors, the combination of a supportingpole, a plurality of clamping arms mounted at one end of the pole andextending beyond the end thereof, mechanism for actuating said clampingarms carried by said pole and operable from a point adjacent the otherend thereof, and a gauge for indicting the distance between the clampingarms, said gauge being positioned at a point intermediate the ends ofthe pole, whereby the distance between the ends of the clamping arms maybe easily determined when the device is in use.

7. In a device of the character described, a supporting pole, aplurality of bell cranks pivoted for radial movement at one end of saidpole, said bell cranks having arms projecting beyond the end of thepole, constituting clamping jaws, and arms projecting in a directionaway from said clamping jaws, means connected to said last named armsfor actuating said clampingjaws and a gauge positioned adjacent saidlast named arms for measuring the distance between said clamping jaws.

8. In a device of the character described, a supporting pole, aplurality of bell cranks pivoted adjacent one end thereof, said bellcranks having upper and lower arms, said V upper arms constitutingclamping jaws, means for actuating said bell cranks comprising a collarsliclably mounted on said supporting pole, links connecting the lowerarms of each of said bell cranks with said collar and means foractuating said collar, comprising a screw, a nutfengaged by said screwand connected to said collar, a bevelled gear in driving connection withsaid screw, and a crank operated bevelled gear in mesh with saidfirst-named bevelled gear.

9. In a device of the character described, the combination of a tubularsupporting pole, a plurality of bell cranks having upper and lower armspivoted for radial movement adjacent one end of said, pole, the upperarms of said bell cranks having a plurality of sets of reflectorengaging notches, means for swinging said bell cranks about theirrespective pivots comprising a collar slidably mounted on saidsupporting pole, and links connecting said collar with the lower arms ofeach of said bell cranks, said upper arms having reflector engagingnotches, and a gauge for indicating the distance between each of saidsets of reflector engaged notches.

l0. In a device of the character described, the combination of aplurality of bell cranks, a supporting pole, said bell cranks beingpivoted adjacent one end-thereof, and means for actuating said bellcrank comprising a collar slidably mounted on said pole, a plurality oflinks connecting said collar with each of said bell cranks, means foractuating said collar comprising a screw supported within said tubularpole, a nut engaged by the screw and connected to said collar, andbevelled gear means for rotating said screw.

11. In a device of the character described, a tubular supporting pole, aplurality of bell cranks having upper and lower arms, said bell cranksbeing pivoted adjacent one end of said supporting pole, means foractuating said bell cranks, including a screw mounted within saidtubular pole and a nut in engagement therewith, and means operativelyconnecting said nut with the lower arms of said bell cranks, bevelledgear means for rotating said screw disposed at the end of the tubularsupporting member remote from the bell cranks, and a handle projectingbeyond said bevelled gear means.

l2. In a grapple of the character described, the combination of atubular supporting pole, a plurality of reflector clamping arms pivotedadjacent one end of said pole, and means for actuating said arms,including a screw within said pole, a nut on the screw operativelyconnected to said arms, and a crank vprojecting transversely from saidpole and geared to said screw.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto afliX my signature.

JOI-IN A. MGKAY.

